South Korea is rich in culture and it’s tradition. Since ancient times, festivals have been
celebrated to maintain harmony with nature. Each festival carries its unique
significance, offering valuable lessons, spiritual insights, and cultural traditions
significance, offering valuable lessons, spiritual insights, and cultural traditions
passed down through generations. These celebrations provide a glimpse into each country’s
traditions, values, and history. Festivals are not just celebrations but vital aspects of cultural
expression, community life, and economic activity. They serve as important reminders of each
country’s rich heritage and diverse traditions.
In this article, we will explore the traditional Festivals of. South Korea, delving into their
significant rituals and traditions.
Let’s start with the traditional Festivals of South Korea.
1 대보름 ( Daeboreum)
대보름 Which is clear by its name refer to The Great full moon is a Korean holiday that
celebrates the first full moon of the year under the lunar calendar . The Great full moon Festival
can be traced back to the Three kingdoms period and is celebrated on the 15th day of a new
lunar year. It usually takes place in February,but the specific date changes each year.
Here are some traditions played on the day of the daeboreum.
On the day of daeboreum people crack nuts with their teeth, believing that this will keep one’s
teeth healthy for a year. Which includes Gingko nuts 은행, walnet 호두, peanut 땅콩 , chestnuts
밤 , pine nuts 잣.
달맞이 ( Dalmaji ) in the countryside, people climb mountains in order to catch the first rise of
the moo. It is said that the first person to see the moon rise will have good luck all year .
쥐불놀이 ( Twibalnori) A traditional game that is played the night before daeboreum.
기세배 (Gisaebae) It is a ceremony that farmer’s bands in each town gather together and greet
each other in pecking order . Also a competition is held between the bands .
더위 팔기 ( Deowipalgi) when someone see a person in the morning, he or she hurries to call
his or her name to say “ Buy my heat’’ it is believed that one would escape the scorching heat
this summer .
Just like many other holidays in Korea big or small there are some specific food people are
accustomed to eating on the day of daeboreum people start their day with Guibargi wine
believing one will only hear good news all year round and will hear better along with the wine
people enjoyed 부럼 which is simply assorted nuts . The next dishes are 오곡밥 which is five
grain rice dish, 인절미 ( Injeolmi )These delicious rice cake are made from steaming glutinous
rice . Last but not least 약식 yaksik is made with glutinous rice as well as chestnuts, honey ,
pine nuts , sauce and sesame oil .
Let’s move on to the next fest Festival
2) 복날 (삼복) sambok
삼복(Sambok) which is marks as the three hottest days of summer in South Korea. According to
the Korean lunar calendar. Sambok are also known as dog days or the dog days of the summer.
This is because the traditional character 복 (bok) looks like a man lying flat on the ground like a
dog. This represents the overwhelment of summer on these three days . 삼복( Sambok) which
is divided into three 복날 (boknal) – 초복 (chobok) , 중복(jungbok) , 말복(malbok) where 초
means “beginning’’, 중 means “middle’’ and 말 means “end’’. 초복 Is the beginning of a hot
summer, 중복 is the middle of a hot summer and 말복 is end of a hot summer.
The primary way for Koreans to celebrate sambok is through food . Historically it was enjoyed in
valleys and forests but these days people enjoy it in a restaurant or at home . Summer fruits
such as watermelon are also enjoyed most during this time . Besides food , it was customary to
dip one’s feet in water to cool off. Today, many people do so by dipping their feet in
cheonggyecheon for example. If we talk about food of the day is 삼계탕(samgyetang) is a
ginseng chicken soup on the day of 복날 (boknal) people consider to have pork, beef and
chicken. Because Koreans believe in summer people lose their energy the most due to humidity
and hot weather people consider to have nutritious food where 삼계탕 samgyetang is best fit of
the day . If you are thinking, is it odd to eat hot soup on the hottest day ? Well the belief actually
is that by eating hot soup . The body’s temperature would rise up and then the hot weather
wouldn’t feel strongly hot.
3)칠석( chilseok)
The seventh day of the seventh lunar month known as 칠석 (chilseok) in Korea . It’s one of the
traditional holidays that isn’t as popular now as it once was, though it is still well known.
Chilseok is a period where the heat starts to reduce and the wet season begins and the rain that
falls during this period is called chilseok water as pumpkins, cucumbers and watermelons start
to flourish during this period.
The story behind chilseok is quite thrilling.
The origin of the tale is a romantic Chinese folktale “ The Cowherd And The Weaver Girl ” story
. A heavenly king had a daughter called Jingnyeo ( 직녀) who was a talented Weaver . One day
when she looked out of the window while weaving, she saw a young man , a harden called 견우
Gyeonu just across the milky way and fall into love with him . The father allowed the two to
marry afterwards Jingnyeo refused to weave and Gyeonu didn’t take good care of the cows and
sheeps . The king got very angry and ordered the couple to live separately,only allowing them to
meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month of each year . They were expected
to meet each other but couldn’t cross the milky way. However crows and magpies worked
together to form a bridge across the milky way for the couple.it is believed crows and magpies
have no feather on their head because of the couple stepping on their heads if it rains on that
night it is believed to be the couple’s tears .
The customs plays on the day
On chilseok, Koreans traditionally take baths for good health. In addition it is Traditional to eat
wheat flour noodles and grilled wheat cakes. Chilseok is known as the last Chance to enjoy
wheat-based foods , because the cold winds after chilseok ruin the scent of wheat . People also used to eat wheat pancakes called 밀전병( Miljeonbyeong) and sirutteok made by glutinous rice
flour, grains and beans ,A steamed rice cake covered with azuki beans .
4)추석 chuseok
Chuseok is also known as Korean Thanksgiving day . Chuseok is one of the biggest holidays in
South Korea. It’s a time when families gather together to thanks to their ancestors for an
abundant
Autumn harvest. Chilseok is celebrated with good food , wine and family gatherings. It usually
takes place in the months of September and October. According to the lunar calendar.
Traditionally, the purpose of the chuseok was for family members to gather together during the
full harvest moon and spend meaningful time with family. This normally appeared in the sky on
the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar and shows gratitude to their ancestors for
the fruitful harvest.
Customs take place during chuseok
There are a lot of customs from the old days that still stand down. One of them is mentioned
below.
1 차례 ( charye)
차례 Is mean ancestors memorial service. It takes place on the morning of the day of Chuseok .
Ancestors worship is common during chuseok. One of the main characteristics of the service is
bowing to your ancestors. The representative food for this service are newly harvested rice and
songpyeon (성비용) rice cakes and alcohol. The next custom which is easily found during
chuseok is 벌초 ( Beolcho) in which people visit their ancestors grave and pluck the weeds that
have grown around the grave since last time . It’s considered a familial duty and sign of devoting
and often takes place shortly before the Chuseok holiday itself.
Traditional Food Eaten By People During chuseok.
1) 송편 ( songpyeon)
A quite popular dish of the chuseok is songpyeon . This traditional Korean rice cake is prepared
with rice powder filled with sesame seeds, red bean, chestnuts and so on . These half – moon
rice cakes will then be steame with pine needles to create a more exclusive teste . The families
prepared these rise cakes the evening before chuseok . It is believed that those who succeed in
making beautiful shaped songpyeon will give birth to a beautiful child or have a successful
marriage.
2) 잡채 ( japchae)
Japchae is another most famous Traditional Korean dish to prepare and eat over chuseok. This
noodle dish is stir- fried with different vegetables and Korean cuisines.
3) 전 ( Jeon)
Jeon is a traditional Korean pancake. They are also commonly found at dinner tables in South
Korea while chuseok.
4) 갈비찜 ( Galbijjjim)
Galbijjjim is also popular during chuseok. Somewhat an expensive dish. Galbijjjim is basically
braised beef made with short ribs and mixed with vegetables. It’s a sweet and savory dish that’s
best served with rice.
On the day of chuseok people also play different games such as 강강술래( Ganggangsullae) ,
씨름( Ssireum) , 소싸움 ( sossaum ) and so on .
In conclusion, if you are planning to explore different Festivals, Traditions and culture isn’t it a
good plan to start with Korea ?
Please share your thoughts on this.